Dawson’s Creek is a beautiful relic from a bygone era of television. Today’s teen dramas exude a “too cool for school” melancholy, while ’90s WB shows wore their romantic upheaval on their sleeve. They were emotionally tormented over matters of the heart and they were NOT going to pretend otherwise. Contemplative brooding and meandering walks were the name of the game. If you were in the midst of a romantic quandary, you took an introspective stroll beside the nearest body of water while Edwin McCain melodically declared that he’d be the greatest fan of your life. No series personified teenage angst better than Dawson’s Creek, and no episode best exemplifies that angst more than Season 3’s “Stolen Kisses.”

This episodic gem, which is now streaming on Hulu, cemented the long-simmering love triangle that pitted Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), a pensive over-analyzer, against his best friend Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson), a charismatic underachiever. The object of their affection is the acerbic yet secretly sentimental Joey Potter (Katie Holmes).

Put on your best No Fear t-shirt and accidentally run your Tamagotchi egg through the washing machine, because we’re heading back to the ’90s!

Photo: Everett Collection

*TV announcer voice* Previously on Dawson’s Creek:

Dawson and Joey are best friends/soulmates. Dawson and Joey date, breakup, reunite, and separate again after Dawson encourages Joey to aid the police in sending her father back to prison (I know, but stay with me). Season 3 begins with Joey making a sexual advance towards Dawson, but he rejects her due to fear of heartbreak and/or an existential crisis. Dawson asks Pacey to look after Joey. Pacey obliges but then falls in love with Ms. Potter, which leads to Pacey impulsively kissing Joey.

That leads us to Season 3 Episode 19: “Stolen Kisses.” Get it? Got it? Good.

“Stolen Kisses” centers on the gang taking a trip to Dawson’s Cool Aunt Gwen’s house to celebrate spring break. The gang in question consists of Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Andie, and Will Krudski, a character we’ve literally never heard of until this very episode. The storyline explanation is that Will is an old friend of Pacey’s who, like all great brooding bad boys, hates his dumb jerk of a father. The real-life explanation is that The WB was using Dawson’s Creek to introduce/spinoff Will’s character for their series Young Americans, a show about teenagers who love being near water and consuming an unhealthy amount of Coca-Cola (which not so subtlety sponsored the series).

Will Krudski randomly shows up in Capeside and is like, “Hello. I’m on this show now, too,” and everybody just kind of nods and is like, “Okay, rad.”

Since this isn’t a Young Americans recap, we’re going to ignore Will and Andie’s z-story flirtation and focus on the love triangle at hand. How are things between Joey and Pacey after their illicit Episode 17 smooch? I’d describe their initial interaction as aggressively awkward.

Photo: Hulu

I like to imagine the director yelling, “Okay, gang, let’s do one more, but this time, let’s really dial up the angst!”

This leads us to the theme song, which is not Paula Cole’s (non-ironic font) iconic ’90s song “I Don’t Want to Wait,” but instead some silly abomination I refuse to Shazam. Call me a theme song purist, but this is a literal crime against humanity and those responsible should be jailed for life. Where have all the cowboys gone? I honestly don’t know, Paula Cole, but I know where they should be and that’s off rectifying this streaming atrocity.

The gang (and Will) arrive at Cool Aunt Gwen’s house, who’s portrayed by Julie Bowen of (at this point in time) Happy Gilmore fame. Bowen would go on to enchant and delight in the criminally underrated NBC series Ed and from there, well, I don’t believe she ever worked again in the modern era. As luck would have it, Cool Aunt Gwen was once embroiled in her own love triangle between an “uptight lawyer” and a “crazy, bearded painter,” a romantic predicament not unlike the one Ms. Potter currently finds herself in, which is downright subtle compared to the next scene.

“This trip, this week. It reminded me of what we’re good at. We make sense of each other’s lives. Always have,” Dawson sheepishly tells Joey as the two nonchalantly chill in a barn. “I’m starting to get forget why we’re not together.” Following Dawson’s epiphany, the camera instantly cuts to an interrupting Pacey, followed by a slow pan to an old wood carving inside the barn that reads “Dawson + Joey Best Friends Forever.” Admittedly, this is cheaper and slightly subtler than renting a van, decorating it in Dawson’s Creek decals, and driving around the country shouting “love triangle” into a bullhorn.

Up next, the gang (and Will) decide to perform a karaoke show in Cool Aunt Gwen’s living room. Pacey performs “Wild Thing,” because he’s an impulsive bad boy, while Dawson reluctantly sings “Daydream Believer” with Joey, because… I guess that’s what Steven Spielberg would sing? In a deleted scene, Will (probably) performs a somber rendition of Alanis Morissette’s “Uninvited.”

Dawson and Joey’s adorable duet upsets Pacey and he’s all, “F this noise. I’m going outside to brood,” presumably because he’s still pissed that the Monkees didn’t play their own instruments. Joey follows Pacey outside where she basically pulls an REO Speedwagon and admits that she can’t fight this feeling any longer. Pacey is understandably pretty jazzed to hear this news.

“Joey, I’m going to kiss you now. Look, Joe. You can’t say something like that and expect me not to kiss you, so that’s exactly what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna kiss ya in about ten seconds, and if you don’t want me to kiss you, well, if you don’t want me to, then I guess you’re just gonna have to stop me. Ten.”

That last part was said in a sexy, flirty way — not a weirdo Jim Carrey way — and the two begin to kiss.

Unfortunately for the burgeoning lovebirds, their clandestine rendezvous is cut short when Cool Wet Blanket Aunt Gwen interrupts and temporary extinguishes their inferno of FEELINGS. Not super pumped about the make out session she’s like, “Guys, cool your jets. Dawson’s my nephew. You either tell him or leave my ridiculously romantic homestead this instant!” Joey actually does attempt to tell Dawson but is, ironically, interrupted by I Need A Cool Hobby Aunt Gwen. This leads to one last interaction which features thee predominant kiss between Pacey and Joey.

Beautifully scored to an acoustic version of “Daydream Believer,” the scene features some wonderful dialogue from both Joey (“I’ve tried to pretend that this is just some bizarre hormonal glitch.”) and Pacey (“If you felt even one shred of what I feel for you, then we wouldn’t be standing here having this conversation.”) before their inevitable lip lock.

This time, Joey is the one who kisses Pacey.

It may be Dawson’s creek, but it’s Pacey’s world, baby!

The teen drama genre can be emotionally manipulative with its excessive use of overwrought theatrics and cloying sentimentality, but it can also produce moments like this that are genuinely heartwarming. Dawson’s Creek told a simple story about a connection that just wouldn’t be denied. It was a nuanced, well-structured love triangle that both divided and enthralled the fanbase.

For Dawson’s Creek fans who were invested in the series, it was a truly memorable television moment.